
HARDSCAPE HERO
Return to blogHARDSCAPE HERO - September 3, 2025
From Farm Roots to Award-Winning Hardscapes: Craig Smith, BR Design Build For Craig Smith of BR Design Build, the path to becoming a Belgard HARDSCAPE HERO wasn’t paved overnight. It was built through decades of grit, problem-solving and a relentless drive to do things the right way. Craig’s journey started on the Eastern Shore, working... View Article
Recent > HARDSCAPE HERO
For the Grays, winning is a family tradition. Jeff Gray and son Jeffrey are no strangers to winning the HARDSCAPE HERO award, and Jeff also claims the title of 2017 HARDSCAPE HERO OF THE YEAR. Their latest winning project shows the same exemplary craftsmanship and skilled design that continues to wow their clients and win... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Eric Beaune | Beaune Brothers Landscaping | August 2020
A properly designed outdoor living space can completely change the personality and atmosphere of a home. First time HARDSCAPE HERO winner, Eric Beaune of Beaune Brothers Landscaping, recently helped his client transform the backyard of an Airbnb property into a beautiful and functional space. Thanks to Beaune’s design expertise, the new outdoor living space not... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Joel Cross | JC Design, Construction & Landscape | July 2020
Having a community to rely on can make completing any project easier. July’s HARDSCAPE HERO winner, Joel Cross of J.C. Design, turned to his network for help on his first winning project, and it paid off. The project began when a high school friend contacted him, after seeing some of his other work online. “They... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Patrick McGrath | Virginia Beach Patios | June 2020
It’s rare to be met with a “job well done” before starting a project. But that’s exactly what happened for Virginia Beach Patios’ Patrick McGrath on his most recent winning project– his third career HARDSCAPE HERO victory. “We’ve been putting a lot of effort into our social media presence since about 2018, and it’s actually... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Eric Ellington | Glen Allen Grounds | May 2020
Faced with the challenge of changing grades and embedded anchor points, Eric Ellington of Glen Allen Grounds used his expert design skills to create a beautiful outdoor living space. This project is the 2019 HARDSCAPE HERO of the YEAR’s first HARDSCAPE HERO win of 2020. “We started the project after a business partner introduced us... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Scott Prunty | Solid Structures | April 2020
April’s HARDSCAPE HERO winner, Scott Prunty of Solid Structures, shows that perseverance is the name of the game when it comes to completing complex projects. This is his second winning project and one that took almost a year and a half to complete due to zoning regulations. “The project was interesting for a few... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Kenny Oriole | Oriole Landscaping LLC | March 2020
It’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and in many cases, you can’t judge an outdoor living space by its surface. March’s HARDSCAPE HERO winner, Kenny Oriole of Oriole Landscaping, LLC, installed a beautiful outdoor living space after completely reshaping the homeowner’s backyard to accommodate the installation. “The space was essentially... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Ellis Wiltshire | Rock Creek Innovations | February 2020
Three-time HARDSCAPE HERO winner Ellis Wiltshire of Rock Creek Innovations is no stranger to challenging projects. He is a master at enhancing landscapes, turning them into functional outdoor living spaces. With his most recent winning project, located near Lake Anna, Virginia, Wiltshire took a nearly unusable yard and transformed it into a relaxing and functional... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Lonny Arter | Denison Landscaping | January 2020
Congratulations to the first HARDSCAPE HERO of 2020, Lonny Arter of Denison Landscaping! While HARDSCAPE HERO winning projects come in all shapes and sizes, it takes a unique and admirable level of skill, technical proficiency and project management to execute one of this size. “We’ve completed commercial projects that were obviously much larger than this... View Article
HARDSCAPE HERO | Daniel Bradshaw | Appomattox River Landscapes, LLC | December 2019
A HARDSCAPE HERO patio isn’t about how many features are installed, or the size of the patio; it’s about how the installation was executed. This month’s winner Daniel Bradshaw, owner of Appomattox River Landscapes, proves that intelligent design can make a huge difference in the homeowner’s day-to-day life. “The space wasn’t really usable or unusable.... View Article